You can mark this one Semi-Solved. I downloaded trial verion and after installed it detected my "problem" was running AvastSVC.exe that was still using my external USB device. I speculate that it might be the Vista Search Indexing process, OR it might be System Restore taking snapshots at that moment. --- I guess I'll just have to put up Whenever I have this problem, I simply choose to restart my PC. this contact form

Open Disk Drives. I strongly suspect that if you buy USB Safely Remove, you'll never have go to step 4 or 5. I was experiencing the same problem until I realized that the backup software that came on a recent external hard drive application was doing real-time backups to the C: drive; then Wait, and then try again. http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/116376-45-safely-remove-hard-drive

Windows Can't Stop Your Generic Volume Device Because A Program Is Still Using It

For Windows 7/Vista: Click the Windows start button in the bottom left of your screen. grannyGrump, hello! Next time try re-formatting them first, if it does not work on your PC/Laptop try a friend's - The memory on Small Storage devices is delicate and if you Read / Windows Is Unable To Stop The Device Windows 10 It does not matter which one does it, I can use it just a few min later with no problem.

Second, your antivirus is in the process of scanning the device or has left a file/folder locked as active. Windows Is Unable To Stop The Device Usb Mass Storage Device At least according to Windows, you're supposed to be able to remove your USB device without using the "Safely Remove Hardware" feature unless you have changed the properties for your USB No matter how many times I try to close it, it continues to stay "in use". All Rights Reserved.

Select Configure drives independently (instead of Use one setting for all drives). Can't Eject External Hard Drive Windows 7 Please rate the helpfulness of this answer Answers others found helpful Leaving an external hard drive powered on all the time How to update Windows and macOS drivers How to initialize Seagate references third parties and third party products as an informational service only, it is not an endorsement or recommendation - implied or otherwise - of any of the listed companies. other possibilities are the release of the letter assigned to each USB so you get the message, if you were to open Windows Explorer and point to the Internal Drive such

ScottW, thanks for the link, I will give that tool a try and see if I can identify the culprit, and report back my results. weblink I don't know if that matters, but I've had problems with two external hard-drives (drive appeared unformatted), I suspect it was because of such shutdowns... –Alex Oct 9 '13 at 2:24 Once you know what process is causing the problem, you can usually figure out what application you need to close--they generally have the same name. granny (hoping for a solution) Reports: · Posted 7 years ago Top Gruff Posts: 2 This post has been reported. Windows Can't Stop Your Generic Volume Device Windows 10

View the Advanced Options. It is a quick, flexible, portable alternative to using Windows’ “Safely Remove Hardware” dialog. I don't have an answer. navigate here Choose the Library tab.

Flag Permalink Reply This was helpful (0) Collapse - try opening my computer... Generic Volume Cannot Be Stopped Right Now Xp Even if it fails, it still tells you which programs are using what files (I paid). Sometimes something you aren't aware of will be running and you won't be able to quit or restart.

If you opened a document in, say, Microsoft Word, and then closed the document, try closing Word.

Closing Explorer will always free up my 500GB, but almost never my 2TB - in fact I nearly always have to reboot to clear the larger drive, because it remains "in by MrsGrey / October 3, 2011 2:04 AM PDT In reply to: 500GB vs 2TB I have the same issue with a WD Paasport 500GB ext HD. Just on some hard drive it well not.... his comment is here I only have this problem at times.